108 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fine specimen of spinach exhibited by him. The seed was sown the 

 last week in August, and on the approach of winter the plants were 

 covered with sedge. The winter was favorable to the keeping of 

 the spinach because the snow came earl3^ He had found that his 

 seedling carnations, of which he had a large bed, came out in 

 admirable order this spring. Feverfew passed safely thi'ough the 

 winter and came into flower early. He used large quantities of 

 pine needles for covering ; their elasticity made them the best of 

 all materials for covering herbaceous plants which carry their foliage 

 'over winter, such as hollyhocks, polyanthus, pansies, sweet williams, 

 etc. He would not uncover so early as this without taking the 

 precaution to cover again if cold, and would not uncover straw- 

 berries at all 3'et. He considered covering in autumn one of the 

 most important points in gardening. He would use sedge in prefer- 

 ence to the leaves of deciduous trees, which lie flat and cake together. 

 Tritomas covered with the latter are sure to rot. 



The Chairman expressed the opinion that oak and other broad 

 leaves make a good covering. They are apt to blow away, and 

 therefore should have some brush placed over them. If used too 

 freely the plants under them will damp off. He thought the 

 branches of evergreen trees preferable to pine needles, or indeed to 

 any other covering. Stable manure is the worst covering that can 

 be used for herbaceous plants. 



John G. Barker, Chairman of the Committee on Plants and 

 Flowers, called attention to a plant of Aphelexis splendens, exhibited 

 b}^ J. Warren Merrill. 



Mr. Atkinson said that in the grand old days of the London 

 Horticultural Society's exhibitions at Chiswick, this plant was ex- 

 hibited by Mr. Cole, one of the best plant growers in England. 

 He had seen a plant five feet in diameter, with hundreds of flowers. 

 It should have a very porous soil, and needs silica, and therefore 

 thrives best on peat and sand with plent}' of crocks. It requires a 

 somewhat (hy atmosphere, and an intermediate house, where the 

 lowest night temperature in winter would be from 35° to 40°. It is 

 a native of the Cape of Good Hope. Other good varieties are 

 humilis and vtacrantha rosea. 



Mr. Hovey said that the plant is not new, but though introduced 

 many years ago, it has not been seen here of late ^ears. In this 

 country it has been very little grown, and he was doubtful whether 



